The Chinese-exported stink bug has made its way to 38 states in the U.S., destroying millions of dollars worth of crops in the process and prompting the Department of Agriculture to quickly find a repellent, reports The Washington Examiner.
Farmers across the nation have reported that the “brown marmorated stink bug” has caused significant damage to their apple, peach and grape harvest.
In an attempt to find a method of eliminating the unwanted bug, the House has passed a Farm Bill that includes an extra $831,000 to aid the research and development of finding a way to rid the country of the stink bug crisis.
One report that was given to the House states that the insects are “causing significant damage to agricultural products, particularly the apple crop in mid-Atlantic states.”
That apple crop in the mid-Atlantic states has already suffered a reported $40 million loss because of the infestation of the stink bug. Farmers say that the stink bug causes bruises on the apple’s with a single undetectable bite, ruining their crop in the process. Virginia vineyards also say that it only takes one or two bugs to be smashed in the grapes for the entire lot to be ruined.
“Clearly these bugs are spreading, and they are more than just a nuisance because they smell,” said Representative Frank Wolf.
“They have the potential to devastate crops-apple crops, peach crops, grapes. We have to get a handle on it.”
Some agricultural officials have suggested importing a chinese bee as a way to control the population. Chinese bee’s seek out the stink bug eggs and lay their own on top, killing the stink bug eggs in the process.
Have you or anyone you know been affected by the stink bug crisis?
